1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a storage and dispensing assembly, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a modular storage and dispensing assembly for cans.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Display racks or assemblies for supporting and displaying articles on shelves or in confined areas, such as a refrigerator or a cold storage unit, are well known. Generally, such display racks or assemblies are gravity fed or utilize a spring mechanism to move articles along one or more travel paths of the display racks or assemblies.
Because there is often wasted space on at least one side of the display rack or assembly, modular display racks or assemblies have been proposed wherein a plurality of the display racks or assemblies are secured together by clips, bolts and the like. Such separate elements, however, often become lost during shipment, and fail to provide the desired rigidity to the assembled modules. Modules of display racks or assemblies have also been provided where individual display racks or assemblies have been combined using dovetail key/keyhole connectors, and the like. However, the use of such connectors have created problems in the manufacture of such display racks or assemblies, have resulted in weak or loose connections, or have made such display racks or assemblies difficult to assemble.
In addition, problems have been encountered in floors or tracks of many of the prior art display racks or assemblies in that the floor or tracks become sticky or clammy due to condensation, garbage, spillage and the like dropping on the floors or tracks. Thus, movement of articles through the display racks or assemblies are impeded, especially in gravity fed display racks or assemblies. As a result, it is often necessary to remove the articles from the display racks or assemblies to either clean or replace the floors or tracks of the display racks or assemblies.
Accordingly, a need remains for modular display racks or assemblies which enable one to readily expand the modular display racks or assemblies, which do not require a large amount of components and which do not create problems with manufacture or construction of such display racks or assemblies. It is to such a modular display rack or assembly that the present invention is directed.